It seems that these days you can hardly turn on a television without hearing someone mention Pilates or Yoga. Articles on Pilates and Yoga fill numerous magazines and it seems “everyone who is anyone” is doing one or the other. Why all the excitement? What is so special about these techniques? What are the similarities and differences between Pilates and Yoga? Yoga, as we all know it, is aimed to unite the mind, the body, and the spirit.

In an economy that has people cutting the extras from their lives, Barbara Queen, of Joplin, says her exercise classes will not be among the things she forgoes. Queen said Pilates classes have improved her overall health and that the expense of the classes is well worth it. “It’s cheaper than blood pressure medicine. It’s cheaper than going to the doctor,” she said. “I’m out here doing yardwork.

We often marvel at how celebrity moms stay so fit and fabulous before, during and after their pregnancies, but the truth is, many of them work out religiously to stay in shape and to regain their figures after baby arrives. We've spotted a slew of famous moms coming and going from yoga and pilates classes, which are two of the most popular workouts in Hollywood and NYC. The good news for moms without star status? Yoga and pilates classes are readily available to all of us!

You want a workout that will stretch and sculpt your entire body. Your yogi friends assure you hitting the mat is the way to go. But you’ve also heard Pilates is an excellent overall body conditioner. So which should you be doing? While yoga and Pilates have some similarities, fundamentally, they are worlds apart. The key to determining which workout you want lies in understanding their core elements and differences. Principles & Purposes, Yoga.-Yoga has a philosophical, spiritual focus that differentiates it from the more workout-based Pilates.